as the Iues ben gathered togyther and I spaketh nothynge in priuye corners therfore inquere of them that harde me for they can tell what I haue sayde and taught and here our lorde dyd so moderate his answere that nother he wolde hyde the treuthe nor yet be sene to defende hym self gyuynge to vs a fourme and a maner howe to answere moderately vnto our aduersaries so that we nother hyde the treuth nor yet prouoke or moue them agaynst vs with our wordê Then one of the mynysters smote Chryste vpon the cheke sayenge Sic respondes pontifici Is this a good answere vnto the bishop This stroke was so myghtye and greate that the sownde therof was herde ouer all the palace and it was so strongly gyuen that the prynte of his fyngurs remayned in Christes cheke whiche prynte we may well se and perceyue in the image of his face that he gaue to the blessed woman called Veronica This image was lately in Rome and it shulde seame that he myghte not gyue â—o sore a stroke with his bare hande and therfore it is moche lykly that he smote Christ with his gawntlette sayng Is this a good answere vnto a bisshop this he spake with great arrogance and prowdly without ony reuerence vnto Christ and this he dyd to please and flatter the bysshop Of this stroke saint Ambrose saith That it was so paynfull that it had ben sufficyent for mannes redemption It was so vehement that therby all his teeth in his hed were moued or lowsed and also his nose and his mouth gusshed out of blode Our lorde wolde abuÌ„dantly and plentuously satisfye for our synnes And therfore he most hygh in noblenes was smyten of a vyle wretche god was smyten of a synner the lord of his seruant the creature of his creature the gouerner of the hole worlde of a vyle porcyon of the same worlde the moste mercyful redemer was smyten of hym whom he came to redeme if he wolde receyue it This coÌ„tumely with many other that foloweth our lord suffred for vs with al pacieÌ„ce mildnes so that with great myldnes he answered to hym that smote hym Si male locutus sum testimonium perhibe de malo c. If I haue spoken euell beare witnes agaynst me of that euyll But if I haue answered well truly and conueniently wherfore dost thou smyte me This answere of Christ as saint Austen sayth was not spoken of any impacyence but gentely and swetely he dyd reproue that seruaunt and called vnto his mynde his vnkyndnes And herunto saynt Barnarde sayth O merueylous greate vnkyndnes this same Malchus whom our lorde but a lytyl byfore dyd cure and heale his ryght heare the whiche Peter dyd smyte of He nowe was bolde to smyte so cruelly his lorde god and curer O good Iesu in what compaigney arte thou nowe howe moch was thy pacyence Howe great was theyr crueltye and inpacyence But wyll they nyll they thy pacyence ouercometh theyr malyce thy loue theyr enuy and thy pitye theyr crueltye And thus ye may se that this smytyng is coÌ„ueniently noÌ„bred amongê the articles of Christes passyon also therin was fulfylled the sayng of y e ê“phet Dabit ê‘cutieÌ„ti se maxillaÌ„ he shall offer his cheke to the smyter And an other prophet saith Percutient maxillam iudicis Israel they shall smyte the cheke of the iudge of Israell This stroke was fygured in Michea whiche was smyten vpon the cheke bycause he sayde the treuthe vnto Achab the kynge of Israell as it is writen in the thyrde boke of the kynges ¶ Here foloweth a lesson OF this article we may take this lesson sythe that Christe wolde be buffeted and smyten for vs it is coÌ„uenient that we stoppe our mouthes that we speake no thyng contrary the honour of god and also that we excite and moue our selfe to speake and do that is good And in all iniuries and contumelies done vnto vs that we haue pacyence by the example of Christe whiche dyd vouchsafe to gyue vs specyally in this poynte an example of great pacyence And also a man to conforme hym selfe vnto this article may to remember the great stroke of Christe gyfe hym selfe a moderate clappe or stroke for all his lyes euyll and vayne wordes and then pray on this maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde be smytten for me moste vnworthy of the vyle minister and seruant of Annas grauÌ„t to me I beseche the thy grace that I may stoppe my mouthe from all euyll and vayne speache and that I neuer cease frome thy laude and praysynges Amen ¶ Howe Iesus was presented vnto Cayphas The .xii. article THe .xii. article of the presentacyon of Christe vnto Cayphas whan our lorde had taken that great stroke in the house of Annas shortly after Annas sent Christ bound as gyltye and worthy death and therunto condempned by hym he sent hym I say vnto Caiphas gyuyng thankes vnto the ministres that it wolde so please them to brynge Christe first vnto hym Annas I say sent Christe to Cayphas for he was the chiefe bishop for that yere and so to him it apperteyneth principally to entreat of the condemnacyon and death of Christ and for the same cause there were gathered a great companye of preestes and scribes in the forsayde house of Cayphas to counsell herin In this house of Caiphas Christe dyd abyde vnto the moornynge at the whiche tyme he was ledde vnto Pylate And in this house he suffred .iii. thynges that were moche paynfull to hym that is the false witneshyng the crafty adiuracyon and the most dispitefull confutacyon as it shall appere in the articles folowyng And here note that this presentacyon was more greuous vnto Christ than the first that was to Annas for this Cayphas was the cheyfe bysshop for that yere And also he was more crafty and more malicyous than Annas and that well appereth by the interpretacyon of his name Cayphas is as moche to say by interpretacyon as a crafty or wyly searcher for he more craftely dyd searche for false witneshes agaynst Christe whan he coulde fynde no conuenient testimonye agaynst hym then he malicyously and craftely by hym self toke occasyon in our lordes wordes of his dampnacyon as we shall declare hereafter in the xiiii article O how payneful is it to a good man to be presented before suche a iudge so craftie so captious so malicyous and replete with all enuy It is sayd that from the house of Annas vnto Cayphas house were an hundreth neynty .iiii. passes by the whiche space about .xxx. tymes they condemned hym and spued or spyt vpon hym bisydes many other tormeÌ„tes paynes ¶ Here folowe .ii. lesson OF this article we may note .ii. lessons The firste that the seruantes of god shuld not be moche afrayd to be presented before euyll and wicked iudges For the more wicked the iudge is the more grace therby commeth to the seruauntes of god Exemples herof we haue in the glorious
dere beloued spouse Iesu Christe This was hyr continuall confort in all hyr troubles She lerned by experience in this worlde that whiche Christe sayd in his gospell Nisi manducaueritis carnem filii hominis et biberitis eius saguineÌ„ non habebitis vitam in vobis That is Except y t ye eat the flessh of the sonne of a vyrgyn drynke his blood ye shal nat haue lyfe in you Nor this sayenge was sene to hyr very harde or vnreasonable as it was to the Iues but rather very swete pleasaunt For in this holy MaÌ„na she founde all pleasure all delectable sauour tast by y e receyuyng therof nat onely in hyr soule but also it was to hyr mouthe as swete as hony And nat only she had this great confort in the receyuyng of this most blyssed sacrameÌ„t but also in the syght therof And therfore after the tyme that y e preest had sayd maâ—se she desyred hym to leue the chaleys bare vncouered vpon the auter to thintent that she seynge it myght haue more perfyte mynde of the blood and passion of Christe Many other exaÌ„ples ye may se in the forsayd boke of this blessed womaÌ„ ¶ The .vi. particle Of the settynge of our lorde vpon the asse and vpon hyr foole or colte MAny misteries prophecies were spoken writen by the holy prophetes which were fulfylled by our sauiour Iesu Christe One of them we shall shewe vnto you in this chapitre how it was fulfylled in Christ Whan y e tyme drew nigh that our sauiour Iesus had determyned to redeme the worlde with his precyouse bloode that was the feast of Pasche at whiche feaste the Paschall lambe shulde be offered accordynge to thordinauÌ„ce of god our sauiour Iesu as the very true lambe signified by the other laÌ„be wold also voluntarily approche cum nigh vnto y e place of his passion where as he wolde be offred for the redemption of man In that dede shewynge that he was moost redy to obey vnto the wyll of his father and to meke hym to the most shamefull moost painefull dethe for our saluacion And what tyme it pleased his goodnes to take this iourney we may mekely byleue that our lady moued of hyr motherly affection wold haue withdrawen hym reteyned hym from that iourney And in lyke maner his disciples as we may suppose persuaded hym to the same but he had other wyse disposed for all our saluacion Wherfore in goyng towardê Hierusalem he went by the mount of Oliuet to signifie y t onely of pitie mercy nat of necessitie he cam to his passioÌ„ This mount as saint Hierom sayeth is called the mouÌ„t of Oliuet for asmoche as there dyd grow many Oliues of the which is made bothe creme oile by y t oile y e light of y e lampe is norisshed And so it may be called y e mount of oile creme of light that to signifie the .iii. effectes of Christes passioÌ„ y e is In y e oile is signified mercy forgyuenes In creme is signified y e vnction of grace And by the light is noted y e lyght of eternall glory And these effectes we haue by y e merites of Christes passion FroÌ„ this mount he sent .ii. of his apostles signifieng the .ii. generall coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of loue wherby all mankynde is absolued from syn y t is thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte c. The seconde is y u shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe By these .ii. preceptes yf they beÌ„ truely kept all syn is expelled all iustice is performed And he sayd vnto his .ii. apostles go vnto y t castell that is against you that is before your face at y e fote of y e mount of Sion He sayd y t that castell was against them or contrary to theÌ„ that was true for there they suffred moche coÌ„tradiction many rebukes also betynges as it is wryten in thactes of thapostles And there ye shall fynde an asse tyed hyr foole or colt with hyr the which colt was neuer ryden lawse theÌ„ bryng theÌ„ to me Spiritually this castell signifieth y e world The disciples signifieth the preachers For the worlde is euer contrary to y e prechers The worlde loueth foloweth ryches honours vayne pleasures CoÌ„trary the prechers do preche pouerty abiection penauÌ„ce The asse for hir folisshnes signifieth y e people of y e Iues. And y e colte y t was wilde wanton signifieth y e gentiles for theyr ê“nitie to syn custom of y e same The asse is a beest vnclene rude folyssh weike in hyr former partê though she be strong behynd These bestes were bouÌ„de So was all mankynde before y e cummynge of Christ bounde in the euyll custom of syn whiche bonde is mooste stronge of all other For where as other bondes whan they be olde they putrifie and so cum to noughte but this bonde of synne the longer it continueth the stronger it is There was neuer man that sat vppon this colte for the gentyles were neuer subdued to any reasonable law gyuen by god Lawse them by your godlye and heuenly doctrine from theyr errours synnes and brynge them to me enformed in true faythe vertuouse maners that they lawsed from the bondes of theyr synnes myght folow me in godly lyuynge And whan our lorde shuld haue rydden vpon this asse or hyr colte his disciples cast or put theyr garmentes vpon these beestes signifienge that our sauiour Iesu wolde nat reste or sytte vppon the naked soule excepte it fyrste be clad and coueryd with the doctryne and vertuouse maners of thexaposles Morally by this asse may be signified our body whiche is dull or rude folysshe vnclene weake before y t is to spirituall and heuenly thynges and stronge behynde that is to temporall and vayne thynges And by the colte may be signified our carnall affection and vayn desyre And these bestes ben tyed with inordinate pleasures But we must lawse them by the feare of god and prepare them with morall vertues and worthy fruites of penaunce that our lorde may rest syt vpon them so that eche one of vs myght say with the Prophete Vt iumentuÌ„ factus sum apud te I am made as a beest vnto the redy to bere y e therefore lay vppon vs what bourden it shall please the and we shall bere it And contrary wyse let vs here what saynte Paule sayth to vs Empti estis precio magno portate Christum in corpore vestro Ye be bought with a great and dere pryce therefore bere Christe in 〈◊〉 bodies paciently sufferynge his visitacion in authynges By those that brought this asse hyr colt vnto Christ may be signified those penitentes whiche do offre brynge theyr bodies to god by due mortificacion and theyr soules by true contricion As the bodye is signified by the asse so may the synfull soule be signified by the colte
treasure that is with thabundauÌ„t remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the passion of Christ through the plentuousnes therof they speake wordes of swetnes and comforth and ioy in a great iustice for they haue the great plentuousnes of graces And herunto the prophet Esay sayth Gaudete super eam gaudâ—o vniuersi qui lugebatis super eam et vt sugatis et repleamini ab vberibus consolationis eius c. All ye that in tyme past mourned or wept in the coÌ„sideration of the passion of Christ ioy now therof in coÌ„siderynge the great profites that cometh therof sucke them that is depely and inwardly considre them that ye may be replenisshed with the teates or pappes of his consolations And also ye shall mylke those pappys that ye may abouÌ„de in all spirituall pleasure by the consideration of his great glorie In the remembrauÌ„ce of the passion of Christe when we considre his most greuous paynes and how y t we were the cause of them thorowe our vnkyndnes and synnes then we sucke out of it sorowe and heuynes And when we considre what profit comethe therof vnto mankynde then we suck out of it great comforth and ioy And these two be the teetes or pappys of the whiche the prophet Esay speaketh and of the whiche the faythfull people sucke great comforth in receyuynge the sacrament of the bodye of our lorde From these pappys whan they be sucked cometh the mylke of chastitie and puritie of lyfe and also the swetnes of all vertue And when they be milked with our handes that is when nat only we considre the passion of Christe as is before sayd but also in our lyung and werkes we coÌ„forme our self therunto and werke therafter Then we mylke and drawe them and so shal we flowe in thaboundaunce of spirituall pleasures thorough the consolation of the holy gost We myght also here for our purpose bryng in the saynge of our lorde in the gospell where as he sayth Gaudium erit angelis dei in celo super vno peccatore penitentiam agente quam super nonaginta nouem iustis There is more ioy in heuen vnto the aungelles of god vpon one sinner conuerted from synne and doyng true penaunce then of nynety and nyne iust and ryghtuous men that nede no penaunce Who is this one synner but our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche thoughe he were no synner in dede yet he was reputed as the most great sinner and so he wold be reputed and taken for he came to beare our synnes and to do penaunce and to suffer for all our synnes ¶ How we may coÌ„sidre Christes passion to resolue or relent our hertes in to Christe and his passion Chaptre v. FYftly we shulde coÌ„sidre the most blessed passion of our sauiour Christe to resolue and relent our hertes in to our sauiour Christe and in to his passion And that by a perfite transformynge of our selfes in to hym And that is done whan nat only we do folowe that passion haue coÌ„passion therof do meruayll therof and ioy therof But also in a maner the hole man is conuerted in to our lord and sauiour Iesus Christe crucified so that in a maner at all tymes and in all places Christe crucified is present with hym And ferthermore that person is then in his mynde abstract and withdrawen from all thynges and eleuate or lyfted vp aboue all pure creatures and holly conuerted in to his lorde god crucified for vs. But this conuersion and relentynge of our hertes in to Christ crucified can nat coÌ„ueniently be except there be a congruitie or a conuenient proporcion taken of some similitude bytwixt our hertes and the sacrament of the aulter receyued of vs sacramentally or elles spiritually with the remeÌ„braunce of the passion of our lorde crucified for vs. For as the philosopher sayth that nothynge noryssheth but that whiche is lyke vnto the thyng norysshed Wherfore sith this heuenly and spiritual foode that is the bodye of our lorde doth moche norysshe it folowethe that it must be moche lyke vnto the person norysshed The digestion or norysshyng is then whan the meate is altered and conuerted in to the thyng norisshed And therfore for that the materiall and corporall foode or meate is coÌ„uerted in to that bodye that is fedde it foloweth that the digestion must be both of the meat and of the drynke Herunto it is writen in the first boke of the kyngê Digere paulisper vinum quo mades Digest that wyne that thou hast dronke But in this spirituall meate for asmoche as it is nat tourned in to vs but coÌ„trarie wyse we be coÌ„uerted in to it it foloweth that the digestion must be in vs vnto the similitude of this heuenly and holsome meate And this similitude or congruite of this spirituall meate vnto the person fed standeth in .v. thynges that is in our digestion or conuersion in to this heuenly meate in the similitude of ymage in the coÌ„formitie of nature in the fayrnes or good ordre of our coÌ„uersation and in the takynge of our miserie by paynes in a maner vntollerable And these .v. bene more largely declared by the great clerke and noble doctor called Albertus Magnus in his boke de Eucharistia that he wrote of the sacrament in a chapitre of these same .v. thynges ¶ How we may considre Christes passion to rest our selfes swetely therin Chaptre .vi. SExtly we shulde considre this most blessed passion to reste our selfe moste swetely therin And that is whan our herte as we in the last coÌ„sideration sayd relented coÌ„uerted and transformed in to our lorde crucified doth nat yet cease but with a feruent desyre remembreth the sayd passion entryng mekely and deuoutly in to that hyghe and depe treasure of Christes passion as farre as is possible for man meltynge and relentyng thoroughe loue and feruent deuotion in a maner fayntyng or faylyng in our selfe and restyng in our lorde Christe Iesu crucified for vs. And then in how moche the more we faynt or fayle from our selfe so moche the more we rest and cleue vnto our dearebeloued lord crucified for vs. So that these .ii. that is this rest or cleuyng to our lorde and this feruent deuotion of loue do augment and encrease them selfe in them selfe for the one helpeth the other For as we sayd before the more that our nature is oppressed ouercome and doth languysshe or waxe seke for loue the more it approcheth and draweth nygh vnto her dearebelouyd and the more grace we receyue our inwarde man that is our soule is dayly visited with newe visitations and reformed vnto the ymage of god vnto the tyme that it holly faylynge in it selfe be absorpte and taken in to that feruent chymney of loue of the passion of our moste beloued Iesu and there to rest swetely as the spousesse swetely restynge in the armes or bosome of her dearebeloued spouse the whiche sayth thus in his canticles Adiuro vos filie sion ne euigilare faciatis dilectam donec ipsa velit
I adiure and charge you o you doughters of syon that ye do nat vnreste vnquiete or wake my dearebeloued spousesse vnto suche tyme it shall please her This penetration and inwarde entrynge of our hertes in to our lorde god there restyng as we sayd before is perceyued and vnderstandyd by the forsayd congruitie or conueniency taken of a similitude as we declared in the fyfte consideration as ye may more clerely perceyue by the declaration of the noble forsayd doctor Albert in his sayd boke de Eucharistia distinctione tertis tractatu primo Capi. vi ¶ The .v. particle is diuided in to .xix. Chaptres ¶ The first is of .xx. profites and fruites that cometh to man by the medytation of Christes passion and that by thordre of the letters of the Alphabete or A. B. C. Fyrste Chapitre THese profites bene writen by a deuout father of thordre of saynt Austen a reder of diuinitie or holy scripture called Rycharde of Laudenburge in his passionarie or boke y t he wrote of the passion of our lorde Iesu Christe and for your comforthe we wryte them here ¶ The fyrste profite Animorum purgat feditatem THe meditation of the passion of Christe doth purge the fylthynes of our myndes or soules Hereunto saynt Iohan sayth Sanguis Iesu Christi emundat nos ab omni peccato The blode of Iesu Christ doth clense and make vs clene from all synne And in his Apocalipse he sayth Lauit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo He hath wasshed vs from our synnes in his blode And therfore Christe in his gospel called his passion a baptisme bycause it purgeth vs from our synnes sayng thus Baptismo habeo baptisari et quomodo coartor vsque dum perficiatur I must be baptysed with a certen baptisme and I am in great anguisshe vnto it be performed and done And therfore the synners that be in good wyll mynde to clense theyr coÌ„sciences from the spottes of vices and synnes shulde ofte remembre the passion of Christe Euery mortall and dampnable synne is as it were a buckler or shelde to defende the deuyll that he be nat expelled from the soule of the synner but Christe brake this buckler and shelde by his passion and deth that he suffered on the crosse And therfore the prophet Dauid sayde of Christe Arcum conteret et confringet arma et scuta comburet igne He shall breke the bowe and the armour and he shall burne in the fyer the sheldes or bucklers that is he shal burne and consume our synnes whiche be the bucklers of the deuyll with the feruent fyer of charitie whiche he had in his glorious passion that he suffered on the crosse And therfore we may say that he burned .vii. bucklers that is the .vii. deedly synnes with the foresayd fyer of charitie Fyrst pryde by the inclynation and bowynge downe of his heed for by that bowynge downe of his heed it seamed as that he wolde haue fledde from the solempne title that was written aboue his crosse Iesus naza renus rex iudeorum This is Iesus of Nazareth y e kyng of Iues. Secondly he consumed enuy by thextention and castyng abrode of his armes as redy to receyue halfe his enemyes for the great loue he had vnto them Thyrdly he burned the bukler of auarice or couitice in his large gyftes that he gaue in his passion And hereto sath saynt Barnarde Lerne thou christiane how moche thou ought to loue thy sauiour Christe whiche gaue hym selfe vnto the deth for our redemption he gaue his flesshe vnto vs in meate his blode to our drynke the water of his syde to wasshe vs his garmentes to his crucifiers his bodye to his disciples and his mother to his disciple Iohan. Fourtly he burned slouth by his wylfull and spedy comynge to his passion Fyftly he consumed wroth by his sylence and softe or gentyll speche Sextly he distroyed glotony by the drynkyng of asel gall And seuently he ouercame lychery by the openynge and woundynge of his syde And therfore we may say well that the meditation and remembraunce of the passion of Christe doth purge and clense the fylthynes of our soules ¶ The .ii. profit Bellatorum roborat pusillanimitatem THe remembraunce of the passion of Christe doth conforte and strength warryours or fyghters and that aswell in iust corporal batel as in spirittuall Of corporal batell it appered in the noble emperour Constantine whiche caused the signe of the crosse to be borne before his hoste or army to the intent that the passion of Christe shulde gyue strengthe vnto his knyghtes and sawdiours that faught vnder that baner of the crosse and so it dyd For as we rede in Historia tripertita whan theyr enemys came agaynst them he that bare the baner of the crosse was sore afrayd and for that feare he wold nat beare that banar but toke it vnto an other man and so fled from y e felde but or that he could conuey hym selfe away he was wounded and slayne where as the other ê‘son that bare the baner of y e crosse thorowe the vertue of the passion of Christe was saued from all hurt thoughe ofte tymes he were in great daunger of his enemyes and many dartes shotte at hym whiche all dyd lyght in the baner and cleued fast therin The passion of Christe doth also strength vs in our spirituall battell for therby onely we opteyne victorie Herunto speaketh saynt Paule Deo gratias qui ded it nobis victoriam per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Praysed and thanked be god that hathe gyuen to vs the victorie by the merites of our lorde Iesus Christe ¶ The .iii. profit Christianorum excitat tepiditatem IT also exciteth and stirreth the dulnes and coldnes of christians vnto deuotion And herunto saynt Paule sayth Recogitate eum qui talem sustinuit a peccatoribê° contradictionem c. RemeÌ„bre hym that suffered such coÌ„tradiction of synners agaynst hym selfe that is suche rebukes dispisynges and shamefull deth that ye by suche remembraunce shulde nat faynt or waxe dull in your myndes As if he sayde If ye haue in mynde the passion of Christe ye shall haue no tediousnes or dulnes in your good and meritorious werkes ¶ The .iiii. profit Diabolorum fugat potestatem IT chaseth away the power of the deuyles And therfore saynt Austen sayth The signe of the crosse chaseth away from vs our gostly enemy if so be that god inhabit our hertes by ofte remembraunce of his passion We rede that Dauid with playenge on his harpe chased away the euyl spirit from kynge Saul Not y t there was so great vertue in the herpe but in the signe of the crosse figured and signified by the tree of the herpe and thextention or streynynge of the strynges And therfore at euery suggestion or temptation of the deuyll it is expedient for vs to haue recours vnto the meditation of y e passion of Christ
felyng with Christ in hauyng compassion of Christ of his neighbour with Christ Also it hath one sauory knowledge with Christe in duely honouryng god one zele and feruent desyre to the saluacion of mannes soule with Christe and so that soule is in a maner transfourmed into Christ thrugh this gifte of pitie whiche as we sayd before is profitable to all thynges It couetyth thonour of god it expelleth sorowes and troubles from mannes soule it feruently they steth and desyreth the fruite and profite of soules it laboureth that the blood of Christe might take effecte in other persones and it kyndeleth the soule in feruent loue to god and his neighbour Wherefore dere beloued frendes let vs approche hereunto and labour diligently for this gyfte For doubtles this one amonge all other and peraduenture before all other gyftes doeth moost please god I pray you therfore let vs labour to do the wyll and pleasure of god and let vs draw or sucke out of his woundes and syde this gifte of pitie Let vs be all one in our lorde Iesu Christe crucified and let vs requyre se or desyre non other thyng in our neighbour but Iesus Christe crucified So louyng our neighbour that with him we runne at all tymes into the woundes of Christe Nat beholdynge or louynge hym as fayre beautifull stronge or wyse or any other suche lyke vaine and transitory thynges whiche may hinder or withdraw our soule from the loue of god but onely beholdynge and louynge our neighbour as redemyd and bought by the precyouse blood and dethe of our lorde as anointed wasshed with his blood and applied or put to the woundes of Christ by receiuyng the fruit of them Let it nat be sene or thought hard and painefull to vs to suffre great paines or yf nede shulde requyre moost shamefull dethe for our neighbour for whoÌ„ Christ the onely sonne of god suffred moost greuous paynes and the moost shamefull dethe of the crosse Let vs all couet and desire for the profite and helthe of soules all maner of rebukes and dispisynges all afflictions and tourmentes and also to suffre moost vile or shamfull dethe Let euery man be to vs as our owne hert for whom the hert of Christ was perced with a spere Let vs multiply our preachynges and exhortacions good examples prayers fastynges knelynges watche labours also suffre mockes or scornes for the helthe of soules Let this be our office and dayly excercise our glory and ioye and our consolacion euer to offre sum thyng to almighty god for the profite of soules Let nat the ryuer fountaine of teares cease from our iyen for our owne synnes and also for the synnes of other Let vs be content to be saciat and fulfylled with suche wepynges and sorowes in this vale of myserye and teares Let our synnes and also the synnes of our ueighbours hynge euer in our syght nat to iudge or condempne our neighbours but to lament and wepe for them at all tymes nat onely let them be in our syght but also let them entre perce the ynner partes of our hertes Let vs at all tymes and in all places haue our sauyour Christe crucified in our presence Let vs alwayes be feruent and deuout in all honour due to god in the reuerence of holy scrypture and in the loue and compassion of our neyghbours In the whiche thre consysteth the gyfte of pitie This ordre and ascencion in our soule doeth molifie all our hert and sprede it abrood and make it apte to receyue the spyryte of pitie whiche doeth quyet vs set vs in great pleasure and fauour of Christe where as we shall fynde spirituall foode bothe within outwarde that is our moost tendre louer our lorde Iesu Christe the rest or our soules the rewarde of our good dedes that we do thrugh this gyfte of pitie And to this gyfte of pitie doeth corresponde the seconde beatitude Beati mites Blessed the mylde And hereunto saynt Austin sayeth Pitie accordeth and is conuenient vnto mylde persons And as concernynge the fruites of the holy goost these .ii. that is goodnes and benignitie ben directly attributed appropriate vnto this gyfte of pitie but the thyrde y t is called Mansuetudo that is myldenes or geÌ„tilnes perteineth to this gyfte of pitie indyrectly for it taketh away the lettes impedimentes of the actes of pitie And the spirite of pitie is gyuen to man for that his hert shuld be moued kyndled vnto beâ—ignitie so that man vsyng duely this gyfte shuld cum to the same eternall possession heritage y t he wold haue other men cum to And this is it that we sayd before y t by the great compassion pitie mercy y t our sauiour Iesu Christ shewed vpon vs vnto vs on y e crosse we shuld be styred moued kyndled to lyke werkes of pitie accordyng to our power habilitie vnto our neighbour y t thereby we myght be made apt to the restauracion of thorder of archauÌ„gels ¶ Example of this gifte of the spirite of pitie Cha. ix OF this gyfte of pitie we haue example in the forsayd blessed woman Maria de Ogines in the sayde boke of the histories of Vincent Where as it is writen that nat only she auoyded all maner of euyll by the gyfte of the feare of god but also by the spyryte of pytye whiche she had withoute doubte by the ofte and feruente remembraunce of the passyon of Christe she was made very feruente and prone or redye to all goodnes She laboured and enforced hyr selfe as farre as hyr power wolde stretche to fulfyll all the werkes of mercy of a great and aboundaunte pytye that was in hyr And aboue all other werkes of pitie she had a feruent desyre to vysyte the sycke and to assyste them in theyr infirmities and also to be present at the deathe and sepulture or buryenge of the ded folkes where she very oft tymes receyued from god great spyrytuall conforte and also thrughe the reuelacion of god knewe many secrete and heuenly mysteryes And this well appered in this history folowynge Vppon a certayne day whan one of the systers of Ogines laboured in the extreme panges of dethe this blessyd woman Maria beynge in hyr celle se in spyryte a great multitude of deuylles about the bed of the sycke syster And as the couent dyd say coÌ„mendacions for the soule of the sayd sycke syster whoÌ„ they thought to haue be ded this holy Mary in a maner forgettynge hyr mylde grauitie sad shamfastnes ran with hast vnto the bed of the sicke systerâ— stryuynge with those wicked spirites nat only dyd resist theÌ„ with hyr feruent prayers but also dyd chase dryue theÌ„ away with hyr mantell or pall as a man wolde chase away the flyes And whan these wycked spyrytes dyd terrybly resyst hyr and alledgyd reasons for them y t this soule shuld perteyn to them than she nat content with theyr importunitie cryed and